After a knife-wielding woman became the 10th person shot — and the fifth killed — by Calgary police this year, Chief Roger Chaffin called for an independent probe to investigate why there have been so many police shootings in 2016.

“This is not about any one particular shooting, however I’m compelled to ensure our members have the correct leadership, policy, procedures and equipment, as well as training, to ensure that we are policing the community in the safest, most contemporary way possible, given the changing nature of criminality in this city,” Chaffin said Tuesday before bringing the proposal to the Calgary police commission.

The chief described the number of police shootings this year as an “unsettling trend” for the public and for officers, who he said are increasingly being forced into “chaotic situations” driven by the presence of drugs, including opioids and methamphetamine.

The chief addressed media after police oversight body the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) launched its 10th investigation this year into a police shooting in Calgary.

AL CHAREST / POSTMEDIA

While Chaffin didn’t speak to the details of the latest shooting, ASIRT, which investigates incidents involving police that result in serious injury or death, said the shooting took place in the 1700 block of 11th Avenue S.W. at around 2:30 a.m.

When officers responded to a call from a resident in the block, they saw a woman farther down the street acting erratically and banging on car windows and the doors of apartment buildings, carrying a knife in each hand. Photos shared by ASIRT on social media showed two long blades recovered at the scene.

ASIRT said a confrontation occurred between an officer and the woman, which resulted in one officer firing her weapon. The 27-year-old woman was transported to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Chaffin said the officers involved in the incident in Sunalta have “his full and complete support.” The female police officer who fired her weapon is a one-year member of the force.

“From the information I have been given, I am firmly of the belief that this member acted appropriately to protect herself, her partner and members of the public,” Chaffin said.

He said a motivating factor behind much of the crime the city is experiencing is related to the presence of opioids and methamphetamine.

“Heavy, heavy addiction, without the right treatments that forces people into crime to support that drug, can be a big problem,” he said.

“Until we get on top of that problem, our officers are being forced into more and more chaotic situations.”

Chaffin said he wants Calgary to look at undertaking a similar review to a probe conducted in Ontario by former Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci, which looked at police encounters with people in crisis, that would examine potential solutions amid the prevalence of addictions and drugs.

COURTESY / ASIRT

“These aren’t problems solved by the police and justice system,” said Chaffin. “Quite often you need the health system and the people that are really super engaged with this to make sure that supports are out there so that we’re not just using the police to solve problems.”

Chaffin said he told Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley on Tuesday morning that an independent review is needed.

“I’m going to push very heavily on a leadership model,” he told the police commission at a meeting Tuesday evening. “To make sure there is a clear understanding on how to avoid risks and how to avoid getting into these situations.”

Ganley said she will be collaborating with Chaffin to find ways to minimize officer-involved shootings.

“I will be working with him in terms of moving forward and looking at those policies,” she said.

I’m not used to seeing stuff like this in this area of town

“We’ll be looking for a way to ensure we have best practices in place . . . it’ll be up to CPS to make those determinations.”

In the neighbourhood where the latest shooting occurred, residents said they were surprised to see the presence of yellow crime tape and multiple police vehicles.

“I’m not used to seeing stuff like this in this area of town,” said Bruce Heidel, who has lived in the community for two and a half years.

“It’s usually relatively quiet here.”

A resident of an apartment building in the block returned from working a night shift to discover that his building was part of the crime scene.

“It’s quite scary,” he said.

The investigation launched by ASIRT Tuesday is the second probe in two weeks, following a police shooting in northwest Calgary on Nov. 22 that left 49-year-old Terrence Weinmeyer dead.